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Bruney may be lost for season

Bruney may be lost for season

CLEVELAND -- Yankees right-handed reliever Brian Bruney could miss the remainder of the season with an injury to the Lisfranc joint of his right foot that is likely to require surgery.

Bruney slipped and fell while attempting to cover first base in the seventh inning of the Yankees' 9-5 victory over the White Sox on Tuesday. The results of an MRI taken in Chicago were sent to physicians in New York, who have recommended that the reliever have surgery. Bruney was examined by Dr. William Hamilton at Roosevelt Hospital in New York on Friday.

"It's a big loss," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "He'd been pitching great for us. Other guys have got to step up for us."

Bruney, 26, traveled to Cleveland with the team after Thursday's game, then flew on to New York. The injury affects the top of Bruney's pushoff foot. It is more commonly known as a football injury, though former Yankees first baseman John Olerud missed the 2004 playoffs with a Lisfranc injury.

The Yankees are hopeful that Bruney could rejoin them in the second half, but Girardi said, "It's going to be a while." Bruney was 1-0 with a 1.59 ERA in nine appearances spanning 11 1/3 innings.

In a remarkable run of bad luck, Bruney also had a family member hospitalized in Oregon due to a heart attack on Thursday. That same day, the 18-wheeler hauling his personal truck to New York was involved in an accident, damaging Bruney's car badly.

In Bruney's absence, Girardi said that right-hander Kyle Farnsworth would be among those leaned upon to help step up in the bullpen mix. The Yankees also moved to recall pitchers Jonathan Albaladejo and Chris Britton from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Friday, designating catcher Chad Moeller for assignment.

"It's definitely tough when we lose anybody," Farnsworth said. "We have guys who can come up and pitch well for us."

Farnsworth suffered a scare on Thursday at Chicago when he slipped and felt something in his right elbow, but he was examined by head trainer Gene Monahan on Friday in Cleveland and showed no strength issues.

"That one came out a lot better than Bruney's slip," Girardi said.

Bryan Hoch is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.